Set The World On Fire
by Loki Targaryen
Summary: Winters and Issacs weren't the only scientists competing to work on the Atomic Bomb. Natalia is one of the only female scientists at Los Alamos and she has a secret that could change the world and its war as we know it.


**_This is my first ever fan fiction that I'm posting. I have written several of them so far, but I have this problem with perfecting it to much. I have to admit that I am easily attached to my stories and I am completely terrified of posting. But I have to admit that I am completely and utterly desperate for more fan fiction about the show Manhattan. _**

**_So, instead of waiting to do the extremely long and drawn out editing process I have set up for my other stories and having several chapters written in advance, I thought I would post this in hopes of getting more people to contribute to the Manhattan stories._**

**_I honestly own nothing, but I am on the way to becoming a physicist and this show is truly inspiring me. Not to build a atomic bomb or anything, but to become truly dedicated to my work._**

**_Without further wait, and a warning that this is not my best work, I give you Set The World On Fire._**

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**Prologue…**

**Berlin, Germany**

**1930**

The radio played softly in the background, crooning in the background about some tragic love or party or whatever singers sang about. I didn't really pay any attention to it. My true focus was spent on the many chalkboards that surrounded me.

I knew I wasn't supposed to be in here, but when I saw the funny symbols and numbers and letters on these boards, I couldn't help but be drawn to it as if it were a beacon.

In later years, I would know what these numbers and letters and symbols running through my mind would mean, but right now the only thing I could do to get them to stop was to write them out on the board.

I probably should have known that writing on these chalk boards would have meant trouble for my papa and I if I was caught, but for some reason I couldn't seem to resist.

I was playing with fire in that moment especially when a man cleaning ink off his hands came strolling into the room.

"What do you think you are doing?" The man hissed in German.

I jumped out the sound of his voice and immediately dropped the piece of chalk I had been using. The white little stick broke into several pieces as the man strolled over to me with a frown on his worn face. His ink stained hand shot out and clutched onto my thin wrist as he started to drag me out of the room.

He stopped moving complete when his eyes caught sight of one of the boards I had finished writing on. His jaw fell open in shock as his hand released my wrist.

"This- this is correct. Did you do this little girl?" He asked me after several still moments of silence.

Nodding my head slowly, I winced when his hands shot out so fast that I couldn't see what he was doing. I was afraid he was going to strike me like my father would have, but I was pleasantly surprised when I caught sight of his hands resting on my shoulders with him smiling down at me.

"Show me how you know this. Do this problem for me little one." He said as he gestured to the one unfinished board.

I nervously walked towards the board, looking back over my shoulder several times completely unsure of what I was supposed to do or if I was even doing it correctly. I didn't want to anger this man in any way by doing something incorrectly.

"Go on, little one." He said with a wave of his hands.

I hesitantly picked up the chalk and looked at the strange writing on the board for several moments before quickly writing down the numbers as soon as they appeared in my mind. It wasn't until I finished my writing that the man gave me another problem and then another one after that.

Time had passed quickly and I must have done over a dozen of problems for the man. It wasn't until my papa came storming into the room that I immediately stopped what I was doing and looked at the familiar janitor's uniform that my papa always wore.

"Dr. Heinsberg, I am so sorry if my daughter has caused you any problems." My father said pleasantly in German with a thick Russian accent.

"It is no trouble. She is actually helping me. How old is she if you don't mind me asking?" The doctor asked.

"She just turned nine, doctor. Her name is Natalia." My father replied.

"She has a gift, your daughter. How would you feel about her becoming a student?" The doctor said with a smile.

"I am sorry, doctor, we cannot afford some fancy university. Natalia belongs in school until she is ready to marry then she will become a dutiful housewife like her mother." My father stated simple.

"You don't understand, Mister…" The doctor trailed off in hopes of earning my fathers last name.

"Chekov, Pavel Chekov." My father answered.

"Yes Mr. Chekov, you see your daughter is simply brilliant, solving problems only some in my field can began to comprehend. She _must _come here so her intelligence can be nurtured." The man stated.

"Like I said before _doctor_, we can't afford a school like this not that I want Natalia coming here in the first place. She belongs at home doing her job. That is all she is meant to do." My father hissed through clenched teeth.

"I will pay for everything. She can come here to learn and…" The doctor said before my father interrupted.

"My daughter has all the education she needs. She does not need some fancy doctor telling her she can be smart. Women are not meant to be smart. They are meant to do the housework and have children. That is all and unless you are willing to compensate me the loss of my precious _daughter _then we have nothing to talk about." My father hissed.

The doctor did not look pleased by my fathers statement. In fact, he looked positively furious by the entire notion of it all, but unlike my father, the doctor was able to hold onto his anger as he gently placed a hand on my shoulder.

"How much will it take for Natalia to come study at the university and stay here?" The doctor asked.

"I'm thinking ten thousand dollars." My father said with a greedy smile.

"Done, but the second I give you the money, you are to no longer have contact. For all intentions and purposes, you no longer have a daughter. Are we clear?" The doctor asked.

My father nodded his head without even thinking about it as he extended his hand for the doctor to take.

The doctor looked ready to spit in the hand just to show his disgust, but he remained calm as he strode across the room towards an office, leaving me with my father for just a few moments. That was enough time for my father though.

"Oh sweet Natalia, I did not expect for you to become such a big meal ticket when your mother gave birth to you. In fact, I half wished you died with your mother most days but now I am glad you didn't." He sneered as he stroked a strand of my platinum hair.

"Here is your mother, I never want to see you around again. Is that clear?" The doctor asked.

My father nodded his head with a smile before the doctor slapped a piece of paper in my father's hand. The doctor turned to me while my father inspected the piece of paper with utter fascination that he never showed for a single thing except for his vodka but that always disappeared quickly when he polished off the bottle.

"Come along Natalia, I have people I want you to meet." The doctor said as he gently led me out of that room.

I didn't know what fate had in store for me, but I knew with the awe and kindness this man has showed me, then I would be able to do great things with my life. After all, it is not every day one becomes the apprentice to the great Dr. Werner Heinsberg.

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**_Hopefully whoever reading this liked it. If no one reads this then oh well, I'm glad I finally posted something even though I'm eager to edit it a billion times. _**

**_I just want to get this story out there so the Manhattan fan fiction can grow. If anyone reading this wants to post a comment then I would be happy to receive it. If not, then thank you for reading. I should be posting the first chapter soon. _**

**_Thanks to All,_**

**_Loki_**


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